Between The Lines
by Reyavie
Summary: Drabble dump, several characters and themes, reply to the 100 word challenge at CMDA.
1. Fire and Water

**disclaimer. **_I own nothing, Bioware does._

**a.n. **_Assorted characters drabbles, 100 words texts. _

**character&universe.** _Diana&Cullen, The Laughing Wall A_U.

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><p>Amell was fire. It left her hands in a rush, burning bright until nothing remained. When he saw her leave with the Wardens, head bowed and blood stained, her light had dimmed. When she returned as Warden, Amell was again flame and spark, more fire and fight in her than ever. He hated her then only it was futile. Amell couldn't be blamed for Uldred. Fire couldn't be blamed for existing.<p>

She was like fire, he thinks, caressing her cold cheek as she sleeps with her task finished. Only ash left.

Cullen is water. He loves her all over again.


	2. Maker says what?

**character&universe.** _Tasha&Party, Recliffe and Amaranthine_.

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><p>"What will you do once all of this is over?"<p>

They are chatting like companions, like actually free happy people when Fate shows up, the Maker laughs at them all 'Ahah, you want free time, not happening' and they are virtually drowned in darkspawn. Again.

"The Blight is supposed to be over! Right?"

The group stares at their leader, dripping sweat, bloodied and injured, hair falling everywhere and an expression which makes them want to take two steps back. Make that three.

"What will I do?" Tasha snaps angrily. "Demand _Sundays_."

And then they remember they follow someone occasionally senseless.


	3. Pretty embarassing

**character&universe.**_ Loghain&Oghren&Tasha, Redcliffe and Amaranthine_.

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><p>"That is one big fort." His head hurts and his intelligence is slowly fading into pain. The former Teyrn can feel it screaming. After all, he is now forced to walk with this company and their stupidity reflects on himself.<p>

"Big fort, big gate, big skeletons rising. You Grey Wardens have nothing small, eh?"

Tasha turns to him, a twist of her lips which is everything but amused.

"Think if I stuff Oghren with explosives and make him run naked in the marker district, that'd be enough style?"

"Only if dressed. And you allow me to light him on fire."


	4. Of Laughing Mirrors

**character&universe.** _Tasha&Alistair, Recliffe and Amaranthine_

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><p>"No, you're going to stay there, rest and get better and <em>then<em> we'll go the Alienage, the Tower or wherever you want to go off to. And you'll stay there. Stay. There. Listen to me. Do what I say. Good girl."

Might be the shock of being talked to like she is a dog or seeing Alistair taking charge because Tasha just _stares_.

"Who was the asshole who told him to take charge?"

They place a mirror on her bed, her wounded image staring right back at her, someone able to insult her bluntly and silently.

"Shut up."

It doesn't.


	5. Wait, come again?

**character&universe.** _Avernus&Tasha, Recliffe and Amaranthine_.

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><p>"There is a way to survive. Did you have sex?"<p>

"Well, don't sweeten the blow or anything…"

"Did you or did you not? A child is the way."

"If that's your way to say I look fat, it could be more subtle. That said, _no_."

"Then you were just lucky. I should have expected that."

"That's your answer? Wisest of all Wardens? I could have gotten that out of _Assan_."

"Then next time, ask him. While you're at it, sleep with something. That is obviously lack of intercourse."

Tasha never shows up again.

Probably because Avernus said sleep with some_thing._


	6. Disbelief

**character&universe.** _Oghren&Tasha, Redcliffe and Amaranthine_.

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><p>Kid's not fine. Oghren's doesn't know how anyone can miss it. He's not saying the kid's scared.. If nothing else, fear is something they don't see a lot in her. Leaders do that, you know? Otherwise, soldiers will stare and wonder what mess they'll push them into. It's anger, trembling and everything and the boy-Templar was fucking stupid. But the kid's leaving instead of tearing him a new one.<p>

"Hey, boss." Tasha stops, half-dead eyes which are familiar. He sees them in his ghost, his mirror everyday. "It gets better."

She laughs humorlessly, doesn't believe. That's okay. Neither does he.


	7. Just Because

**character&universe.** _Cullen&Diana, The Laughing Wall_.

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><p>"Why?" Cullen asks softly, fingers trailing down her skin, down the hair scattered through his pillow and skin.<p>

Diana doesn't smile for once, eyes closed and breathing evened. "Why not?"

"Why me?" Because he is a man with all the answers on his hands. Because she is a puzzle with no solution, knots and curves within curves.

And she could answer, say how Cullen is everything she isn't, how this is so wrong that it is almost, just almost right. Instead, the mage leans over and presses one lingering kiss on his lips. "Because."

Because together, she is not jailed.


	8. Puzzles

**character&universe.** _Kate&Loghain, Reparation_.

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><p>"There is something I just can't understand in you," Kate says softly, recognizing her own weakness. "The way you keep everything hidden like it pains you to speak."<p>

The Commander doesn't smile, he doesn't laugh. The elf can swear that his expression had softened a notch though, coming the closest to care that she has ever seen him direct to anyone in her presence. His hand rests on her elbow, keeping her standing and quiet, and his voice is all but a whisper in her ears.

"You are lucky. I must confess there is hardly anything I understand in you."


	9. Off Limits

**character&universe.** _Isolde&Tasha, Recliffe and Amaranthine_.

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><p>"I could have him."<p>

The damned elf looks at her, hard eyes for a moment, a gaze that can be steel for all she knows. It makes Isolde wish to shield herself, hearing her husband's words of caution and the legends which cross the streets wash over her body.

"I don't think so," Tasha says simply. "You do not know how to give. You would just take and feed and destroy until Teagan was nothing more than Eamon. If he spared you a glance now that he isn't delusioned. And."

_And_?

"And if you tried, I would rip you apart."


	10. Too Easy

**character&universe.** _Kate&Loghain, Reparation_.

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><p>Kate has never danced in public. Hasn't dressed up, stood in silk dresses and never within a human's reach.<p>

"Stop fidgeting. You're drawing attention."

The words snap her to reality. They are in danger, in a world cruel to her kind, worse to someone who defies it like her Commander.

"That hard to pretend?"

There is something there. Harsh as Loghain usually is, it trembles behind that gaze, feels real and tender. The elf is aware of it as he closes his arms tightly around her, his attention devoted solely to their task.

It is. It cannot be faked anymore.


	11. Try without flattery

**character&universe.** _Zarya Mahariel&Zevran Aranai, No Warden Commander Here_.

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><p>"Wait, wait. Can you try to save yourself without all the empty flattery?"<p>

The blonde elf stared up at her uncomprehendingly.

"Seriously, it's making me want to laugh instead of being charmed and that would just make me kill you while very amused."

Zevran blinked again.

"Well?"

Mouth opened. Mouth closed.

"I got nothing."

"Nothing at all?"

Guess assassins didn't need a silver tongue.

"You're making this incredibly hard for me, my dear lady."

"Was that innuendo?"

It wasn't flattery, that was a plus.

"Would it work?" He asked hopefully.

"…I'd laugh more."

"I will take that as a no."


	12. All accidents, ma'am

**character&universe.** _Zarya Mahariel&Keeper Marathari, No Warden Commander Here_.

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><p>"Da'len, what have you done with yourself?"<p>

"Eh?" Mahariel looked at herself, searching for whatever her Keeper meant. "What's wrong with me?"

"You're dressed in a burlap sack!"

"Mhm. Had an accident with darkspawn, large swords and their attempts to rip me to shreds."

"Your hair! It looks like someone chewed on it!"

The younger elf ruffled the peach-colored fuzz on her head and grinned. "Bad accident with fleas, mud and a stray fire spell."

"And your skin! Why is it _light purple_? By the Ancestors, don't you dare say accident!"

Mahariel hesitated.

"Well?"

"Mishap with laundry and dyes."


	13. Death by stupid

**character&universe.** _Zarya Mahariel&Alistair&Riordan, No Warden Commander Here_. Born from Shakespira's _With Noble Intent_'s last chapter.

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><p>"What are you doing?"<p>

Mahariel couldn't be chaining Riordan. Right?

"Man's trying to get killed by stupid." Chains were tugged and the scarf rectified over the man's mouth. "Going off alone in a city filled with darkspawn? Damned stupid."

"Why the chains?"

One eyebrow went up. "Did you bang Morrigan?"

"She stared at me like I was _dinner_."

"So you _didn't._ Then he stays chained and alive until that Tower. So he can die. _Smartly_."

"That is very disturbing."

Zarya looked nonchalant. "Do _you_ want to die? If yes, chains come off right now."

"…corner's a bit loose."

"Thought so."


	14. Pretend

**character&universe.** _Surana&Fergus Cousland, stand alone_.

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><p>Fergus never asks if she loves the king. Surana never mentions his wife, allowing her to rest in his past. They touch, kiss and his arms so tight around her because his connections are fragile; because <em>he<em> still exists out there. He speaks his secrets, listens what little she shares, keeps her close and enjoys every second; this is transitory after all and he is _lonely_.

"We can forget," Surana whispers in the darkness. "Leave it all behind."

"If we can't?"

Her arms are warm and Fergus holds on, selfishly as he prides himself not to be.

"We pretend."


End file.
